Clutch control mechanism



H, w. PRICE" ET AL CLUTCH CONTROL MECHANISM Oct. 12,1937;

Filed Nov. 27, 1951 5/7/74 A? /J/CE ATTOR Y Patented 12, 1937 inventionrelates to a power operated, clutch control'mechanismfor an automotivevehicle. More specifically, the invention comprehends the control of theclutchengaging operation ofa vacuum operated fluid motor whereby thedriving clutch, plate is permitted to, move relatively rapidly, underthe actionof the clutch "spring, during the first part of its clutchengag-w ing movement and relatively slowly I immediately prior to thecontact of the clutch plates.

,To the above end there is suggested the employment Of an electricallyoperated valve, the? electrical means being controlled by the clutch ipedal, the operation 0f said valve insuring. the i aforementionedrapidt'stage' of clutch" plate movement, and there is further suggestedthe employment of a. manually controlledbleedvalve, actuated inconjunction with thexopening of the movement of the pedal to the left,Figure;1, by

permitting an influx of air-to the left side of the r motor as thepiston moves to thezrighti throttle, and by the means for opening thethrot i 20 tale, for determiningthe rate of clutch plate movementduring'the aforementioned clutch plate contacting stage of'move'ment.

" Other objects? of the invention andwdesirable' details of constructionand combinations'iof parts 5 will become apparent from the'followingdescription of a preferred embodiment, which description is taken inconjunction withfthe accompanyline drawing, in which i Figure 1 is adiagrammatic view of thepower Y operated clutch controlling mechanismconstituting the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional 'view throughthemanuallycontrolled' bleedfvalve;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal'sectional View of the three-way control valvefor the clutch'con trolling 1; I

i celerator pedal-i: Theaforementioned structure,

however, formsno part of the instant invention, 7 for the same is in themain similar, to the clutch fluidmotorfl l 1 Figure 4 is a view, partlyin section; disclosing the combinedbleed valveflandsolenoid unit;

J gFigurefi is asectional viewtakenl'on theline 0 of Figure 1' anddisclosing in detail the con-' nectionf between thethrottleandoperatingmeans i to means for regulating the clutch engagingfortheble'ed valve; an Figured is a sectionalview disclosing in detailthe clutchpedal operated switch. 3 H

.Describing now that embodiment of the invention selected, forillustration, there'is provided a;

, idouble-ended fluid motor l0; thef'piston-wll of which is connectedybyrod with aconventional 50 clutch pedal I6. 1Themotorislautomaticallyjen- 1 ergized to disengage the clutch, bycompletely releasing an accelerator pedal l8 movableby are turn spring20. wThe pedal is connected, by rod 1 22, with a throttle 23, therebeing a slip'jo'int at 5 24 in said connection to permit the operationof a motor control valve 26 prior to the opening of the throttle. v Therelease of the accelerator l8 serves, by virtue of anarm, 28, secured torod 22, and flexible connection 30, to move a recessed piston valve 5member 32 to the right as shown in Figure 3, thereby connecting valveports and 36 which are connected respectively to an intake manifold :38and to the motor III by means of flexible cbn 'duits 40 and". The rightcompartment ofthe 10 double-ended motor is then partially evacuated byvirtue of the than existing partially evacuated condition of the intakemanifold, for,iataclosed throttle, theengine pistons function as a pumpto create a manifold vacuum ofsome twenty 15 inches of mercury. Theclutch pedal is thus moved to the clutch disengaged full line positionshownin Figure 1. A check-valve 43 permits the Actuation of. theaccelerator pedal to speedup the engine serves to elongate the-spring20, thereby permitting a compressed valve spring 44; Fig! ure 3,. tomovethe valve piston 32Lto'the left to 25 connect atmospheric ports 46 withthe afore mentioned port 36.v The influxof air to the motor thusserves'to permitthe conventional :clutch spring, not shown, toreengagethe driving clutch plate with the driven plate, mlovingthe/clutch 30 pedal to the extreme right dotted line position ofFigure 1. i

The clutch is thus operated conjointly with the operation ofthethrottle, the two being controlled by acommon operating meansynamely,the ac 35 control mechanism disclosed in the patent to Belcia, N70.1,470,272,dated October 9, 1923.

The present invention-is particularly-directed movement of the drivingclutch plate to simu- "late theicorresponding manual control of the aclutch." To this end there is provided meansfor effecting a relativelyrapid first phase of movement of the driving clutch plate and othermeans "for'eflfecting a relatively slow second phase of movement, justprior to the actual engagement 50 of the clutch plates." i

The rapid first phase of movement, is insured by the'opening of a valve48, Figurel 'thereby opening communication between relatively largeports 50 and 52 to permit a rather rapid eillux of a r from the dash-potor compression side of the 55 65 ujmeans for controlling a second phaseof the spring 60 to move a movable plunger 62 of the valve 48 to theright to cut off communication between ports 50 and 52. I

The aforementioned second phase of clutch plate movement is nowcontrolled by a bleed valve 64, detailed in Figure 2. This valvecomprises a bored casing 66 connected to the compression side'of themotor by a conduit 68. The

casing is preferably cast with or otherwise rigidly secured tothecarburetor. A bored lateral projection or boss 10 is formed as anintegral part of the casing, the boreofthe latter registering ]with thebore of the casing. Projection 10 is nection between the also providedwith an opening 12, the size of which is controlled by the adjustment ofa pointed set screw 14. A spring pressed needle valve member 16 biasedto-an open position by a spring 16' completes the valve assembly, thelatter being actuated by an eccentrically mounted cam 18 ton adjustablydetermine the fluid transmitting conaforementioned bores of the valve. ra

The cam is preferably mounted on the throttle operating shaft, asdisclosed in'Figure 5, and is @accordingly operated in conjunction withthe throttle by the throttle operating rod 22. The a needle valve 16 isshown infull lines, Figure 2, in

its accelerator released position, and as thethrottle is opened by theaccelerator the cam is rotated clockwise to permit the valve member 1640 to be moved upwardly by its spring.

The degree -.of bleed or efilux'of air from the motor during theaforementioned second phase of clutch plate movement is thus a functionof the degree of throttle opening. however, is the end desired inasmuchas the engagement of the clutch'is rendered relatively rapid at wideopen throttle and relatively slow with a minimum of I throttle opening.

. scribed, it is not our intentionto limit the scope There is thusprovided, in a power operated clutch control mechanism,

means insuring a clutch engagement which accurately simulates thecorresponding manual control of the clutch.

While one illustrative embodiment has been deof the invention to thatparticular embodiment,

or otherwise than-'bythe terms of thekapp claims. We claim: 1 i a 1. Anautomotive vehicle 1 provided :with a .clutch,-a vacuum operated fluidmotor for operatyzing said. .clutch, electrically operated means forcontrolling a first phase of the clutch engaging operation of said motorand manually. operated clutch engaging operation of said motor.

2. An automotive vehicle provided with a clutch, a manually operablepedal for operating said clutch, a vacuum operated fluid motor forv allyoperated means for controlling a second relatively simple phase of theclutch engaging operation of said motor.

3. An automotive vehicle provided with an intake manifold, a throttleand a clutch, a vacuum operated fluid motor for operating said clutch, afluid transmitting connection between said manifold and motor,electrically operated means for controlling a first phase of the clutchengaging operation of said motor and-manually operated means, operablein conjunction with the operation of said throttle, for controlling asecond phase of the clutch engaging operation of said motor.

4-. In a power clutch operating mechanism for an automotive vehicleprovided with an intake manifold and a carburetor, a throttle and aclutch, a double-ended fluid motor, a connection between said motor andclutch, a fluid transmitting connection between one end of said motorand manifold, a three-way control valve in said connection, common meansfor operating .said throttle and three-way valve, a bleed valve mountedon said carburetor and a fluid transmitting'connection between the otherend of said motor and said bleed valve, said bleed-valve being operableby the means for operating said throttle and to a degree depending uponthe-degree of operation of said throttle.

5'. In a clutch controlling mechanism of the class described, a'clutchpedaL-adouble-ended fluid motor operably connected with said clutchpedal and a combined solenoid and bleed valve unit mounted on one end ofsaid motor, said solenoid adapted to operate said valve and beoperatedin accordance with .the position of said clutch pedal, saidvalve determining the mode of operation of said motor in controllingthe. engagement of the clutch.

6. In :a power operated mechanism for controlling the clutch ofanautomotive vehicle, said vehicle provided with an intake manifold anda carburetor, a throttle and means for operating .said throttle, aclutch operating fluid motor operable by.v changes in gaseous pressurewithin said manifold, said pressurebeing a function of the degree ofthrottle opening and means mounted on said carburetor and operable bysaid throttle operating means for controlling the mode of clutchengaging operation v ofsaid motor.

7.-In an automotive vehicle provided with a clutch and a carburetor,said carburetor including a throttle, a pressure diflerential operatedfluid motor operably connected with said clutch, a control valve forinitiating the clutch. disengaging' and engaging operations of saidmotor, a motor controlling bleed valve mounted on said.car- 'buretor,and connections interconnecting said bleedvalve and throttle wherebywith operation of said throttle the bleed valve is operated to controlthe clutch engaging operation of saidmotor.

8. In a'power operated mechanism for'operating the clutch of anautomotive vehicle, said ve-' -hicle being provided with a carburetorhaving a valve, a valve mechanism for, in part, controlling theoperation; of said power mechanism, said valve mechanism'forming a partof the casting of said carburetor-andlocated immediately adjacent saidthrottle valve, and'means interconnectingsaid throttle valve and valvemechanism. -whereby-said: valve mechanism is operated with operatingsaid pedal, electrically operated means for controlling a first phase ofthe clutch engag- Q -ing operation of said motor, the operation of saidmeans being controlled by said pedal, and manuthe operation-of saidthrottle.

9. In a power operated mechanism for operating the clutch of anautomotive vehicle, said vehicle being provided with a carburetor havinga valve, a valve mechanism for, in part, controlling the operation ofsaid power said valve mechanism forming a part of the casting of saidcarburetor and located immediately adjacent said throttlevalve, andmeans comprising a cam andspring operated follower, said meansinterconnecting said throttle valve and valve mechanism whereby saidvalve mechanism is 011- erated with the operation of said throttle.

10. In automatic clutch operating mechanism operation thereby, a reliefvalve for said power device, and means for controlling said valveincluding a normally slack connection between the accelerating deviceand relief valve.

HAROLD w. PRICE. EARL R. PRICE.

